The LIKE button is great, because it is quick. It allows us to quickly acknowledge something...that we like.
When people use the "Like" button, what do they really mean?
Personally, I feel that the Like Button is overused, yet I will occasionally use that button--likely being just as guilty as the other guy I'm accusing of overusing that social gesture convenience button.
Here is why I use the Like Button.
Over 7 Reasons I Will +1, Thumbs Up, or Like Your Post or Comment
- You wrote something really funny.
- You wrote something really insightful.
- You complimented something about me.
- I'm trying to be polite.
- I'm trying to avoid encouraging further discussion about this topic.
- I like you and want to endorse you.
- I think you're crazy.
- You wrote something really long.
- I'm feeling lazy.
1. You wrote something really funny.
Some posts are just plainly funny!
In these cases, I will Like your post or comment, and sometimes I will leave my own additional comment.
Many times, however, there is nothing to write--except "LOL."
When you "LOL" attach to something else that you wrote, that might help someone understand that you're kidding, but when people write NOTHING besides "LOL," they're only really looking for attention.
Before the "Like" button, these people could say that they were trying to give that other person support. I think that most of us prefer to see a count of "72 Likes" than reading 72 different "LOL" comments listed individually.
You wrote something really funny?
LIKE button for you!
2. You wrote something really insightful.
My explanation here is not too much different than when you made me laugh.
If you wrote something really insightful, and I have a legitimate response to it, I will respond with my own comment. I might compliment you, or I might just simply acknowledge your point.
However, some things are so insightful, they pretty much summarize everything perfectly. If I responded, it would not add anything to the brilliance of your comment. It would only distract from it--wrongly!
LIKE button for you!
3. You complimented something about me.
C'mon! How can I NOT like a really good compliment about me?
If you wrote something that complimented me or a point I made, and you put forth more effort than "good post" or "thanks for posting," than I am probably really appreciating what you wrote. Why wouldn't I?
LIKE button for you!
4. I'm trying to be polite.
I can tell that you want a response from me, but I don't really have anything to say.
I don't really want to discourage you from leaving comments, because that's what makes social media really good. The best groups have a lot of conversations--posts with comments that respond to each other.
So I want to encourage you to continue to contribute, but you really didn't write anything here in your comment that made me want to take time to write a real response to you.
To be encouraging and polite...LIKE button for you!
5. I'm trying to avoid encouraging further discussion about this topic.
Wow! Sometimes, we can beat a dead horse.
We can do that in real live conversation, and social media is absolutely NO different.
Any further discussion may bring out new ideas, but it will not bring any more productivity.
I don't want to ignore you, because I really would like to engage in conversations with you within other posts--just not here--not any longer.
LIKE button for you!
6. I like you and want to endorse you.
I've had conversations with you before, and I like you.
You made a comment that really didn't trigger any response from me. Heck, it might have nothing to do with anything that interests me.
I do not know whether Likes really are calculated into any SEO, but I think it adds to your Klout score (a website meant to measure a person's social influence on the Internet). So I try to do my part to endorse you without writing a comment that makes me pretend that I have something to write about your post or comment.
I like you and want to endorse you...LIKE button for you!
7. I think you're crazy.
Sometimes, a person will clearly be trying to get my attention. This type of person will leave comments everywhere you are but never make any sense. In fact, sometimes, this person might even try to stir up the post by listing insulting things.
It's clear that this person is NOT going to leave me alone until they get some sort of response. They're trying to pick a fight or become my friend, and I want noting to do with them, either way.
If I comment, then I probably open a can of worms, and this person gets an opening to respond.
This a GREAT thing in most cases, but it really is not very great at all if I think that you're crazy and just looking to get my attention for unproductive things.
For this type of person, the LEAST satisfying thing is a simple "Like." I acknowledged that person--somewhat but not really. That person can't complain that I ignored him (or her), but usually they realize that stalking me won't be worth the energy any more.
If I think you're crazy and don't really want to engage with you, LIKE button for you (as in...I'd LIKE for you to go away. Got enough attention now?)!
8. You wrote something really long.
I think we all feel lazy from time to time, and some of us feel lazy nearly all of the time. It's easy to disrespect that last group; therefore, I try hard not to make other people suffer, just because I'm lazy.
Maybe you wrote something to me, specifically, and it was really long. If you're a really good writer, I might read it, but most of the time, we're more interesting to ourselves than we are to other people.
I'm not a very good reader, and I don't feel like deciphering your post. I might not even really get what you're trying to say, but you spent a lot of effort writing it.
You might deserve more, but I doubt it. I don't want to ignore you, but I don't really want to put in that much effort, either.
LIKE button for you!
(That last one is ironic, because I tend to write really long comments...ones that I'd probably just "Like.")
9. I'm feeling lazy.
Sometimes, I just plainly have nothing left in my tank. I'm too mentally spent to give you the response that you deserve. In fact, I might even be too lazy to determine whether you actually deserve a "Like."
LIKE button for you....and you...and you...and...
Now that I've written about the different ways that I use the +1 button, the Thumbs Up button, or the Like button, aren't you clear about what it really means now?
I hope that you are, because I'm not!
What are different ways that YOU use one of these social gesture approval buttons?
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